Nuggets training camp: Five takeaways from Day 2

Day 2 of training camp saw the Denver Nuggets voicing both their confidence and poorly kept secrets.

On Day 2 of the NBA’s 2020-21 training camp, Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly spoke at length about the state of the franchise and third-year pro Isaiah Hartenstein got his chance to introduce himself to the Nuggets media.

Here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s discussions:

1. Nuggets counting on Michael Porter Jr.

As Connelly says, it’s a “poorly kept secret” that the Nuggets need Michael Porter Jr. to take “the next step” as a player in order for them to reach their full potential.

This is a fact that became particularly true over the course of the offseason, with Denver striking out on a trade for star Jrue Holiday and losing a player that likely penciled in as a starter this season (Jerami Grant) during free agency.

One of the more talented shooters in the league, Porter has the physical tools and talent to be a dominant player in the league for years to come. Of course, he has areas to shore up on — like ball-handling — to become a more dangerous offensive threat but that can be said of almost every player.

Where Porter’s growth truly needs to come — and this is another poorly kept secret — is on the defensive end, as his off-ball awareness and on-ball technique have needed drastic improvement. Fortunately, as a coach’s son being coached by a coach’s son (Michael Malone) and in-line for major minutes next season, he’s in the perfect situation for growing his basketball IQ and sharpening his technique.

Interestingly, there doesn’t appear to be a firm position that Denver sees MPJ as, which is probably for the best as he fares better against less shifty scorers and lanky defenders.

2. Connelly doesn’t believe team has taken step back

While Nuggets head coach Michael Malone doesn’t see Denver as the same team due to their loss of three impact defenders (Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee and Torrey Craig), Connelly believes the Nuggets have “maintained their place” in the West despite not having their ideal offseason.

Last season, the Nuggets finished with a 46-27 record, the third-best record in the Western Conference and the sixth-best record in the league as a whole. This was despite Nikola Jokic getting off to an uncharacteristically slow start, Porter playing sporadic minutes and the team trading one of their rotation players (the now infamous Malik Beasley) midway through the season.

While Denver did lose three rotation players, JaMychal Green is arguably on-par with Plumlee’s skill level and — in the immediate future — what Facundo Campazzo and Isaiah Hartenstein bring to the Nuggets’ offense could be as impactful as what Craig brought defensively.

Connelly, for what it’s worth, is a noted fan of Campazzo’s toughness, intensity and intelligence.

The loss of Grant could also spell more minutes for Bol Bol or Zeke Nnaji, two players that are just as versatile on both ends of the court.

There may be more question marks when you look at the roster this season but there’s also more promise.

3. Isaiah Hartenstein eager to impress in bench role

Did anyone mention that Isaiah Hartenstein has Afro-German roots? No. Well, there’s a random fun fact that should only enhance your opinion of the Nuggets’ international flavor.

A third-year pro who spent his first two seasons with the Houston Rockets, Hartenstein is eager to prove that he was overlooked in Houston due to the Rockets’ center-less micro-ball strategy. Considering that Houston was willing to trade away a superb shot-blocker and rim-runner in Clint Capela to adhere to that strategy, he certainly has a point.

However, the proof in the pudding for Hartenstein is the tale of the tape.

On film, he appears to be a great roll man in pick-and-rolls and has a knack for putbacks and offensive. He’s also a strong passer with decent low-post moves. Defensively, he’s a deterrent around the rim due to his length, timing and verticality, which enables him to block shots without drawing an abundance of fouls. A mobile big man who excels at sliding his feet and using his hands to disrupt the flow of the offense, Hartenstein’s perimeter defense could even see him playing beside Jokic at times.

Speaking to the media, Hartenstein made it clear he believes he can form a strong pick-and-roll duo with Monte Morris. The 2019 NBA G League Finals MVP added that he wants to be the hardest working player on the court and be a star in his role.

He’s expected to battle with Nnaji for the backup center role although he’s penciled in as a rotation player. At the very least, Hartenstein has the support of the organization and is playing for a franchise that still knows the value of a talented big man.

4. Veterans may not play much during preseason

While being asked about veteran swingman Will Barton’s health status, Connelly told reporters that the Nuggets don’t feel pressured to play their veterans during the preseason.

As a result, younger and less established players that want to advance or secure their position with the Nuggets will get a great opportunity to do so.

Denver saw during the NBA restart, those minutes proved crucial to the development and confidence of players like Bol and Porter. Now, with players like Nnaji, Hartenstein and R.J. Hampton on the roster, the Nuggets have even more young talent to develop and are going to get a head start on it.

What makes it better is that Denver is slated to face the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers (twice) during the 2020-21 NBA Preseason. Such talented teams are a good litmus test for the young players and even a more experienced player like Campazzo will benefit from the experience, seeing where he stacks up against the NBA’s best point guards.

5. Greg Whittington’s NBA comparison?

27-year-old rookie forward Greg Whittington was set to speak to the media during Day 2 of training camp but was unable to due so as the results of his latest COVID-19 test weren’t ready in time.

However, Nuggets insider Mike Singer was asked about Whittington on Twitter and delivered an interesting NBA comparison for the Maryland native that he received the morning Whittington was supposed to conduct his interview.

That player? Former Nuggets forward Juan Hernangomez, who signed a three-year, $21 million with the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason.

Hernangomez made a name for himself in Denver as a stretch-four with fluid athleticism, intelligent defense and positional versatility, all strengths of Whittington’s.

Though Hernangomez only averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game while with the Nuggets, once he received substantial playing time, his numbers were even better than the recently departed Grant’s. In 14 games with the T’Wolves last season, Hernangomez averaged 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 29.4 minutes per game.

If Whittington can be anything like either Hernangomez or Grant (hint: he can), the Nuggets may just find themselves converting Whittington’s contract to a standard deal.